


Basic Aquatic Communication

by jabedalien



Category: Community (TV)
Genre: Autistic Jeff Winger, Canon Autistic Character, First Kiss, Food Issues, Getting Together, He/They Pronouns for Abed Nadir, M/M, Nonbinary Abed Nadir
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-24
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-15 04:40:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,401
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29678568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jabedalien/pseuds/jabedalien
Summary: Just a short autistic jabed thing because this headcanon is exceedingly important to me
Relationships: Abed Nadir/Jeff Winger
Comments: 7
Kudos: 44





	Basic Aquatic Communication

**Author's Note:**

> this is a oneshot but im hoping to write more autistic jeff (and also nonbinary abed) in the future!   
> I tagged this with food issues cause there’s a short thing jeff says regarding his eating. It’s a few lines and is only brought up once, but I want to keep things clear! ❤️

“How far _is_ this place, Annie?” Troy whines from the backseat. 

“Only an hour, that’s well worth the extra credit.” She replies. 

“I beg to differ.” Britta mutters.

“Well, it’ll be faster if I’ve got any say in it.” Shirley says, hitting the gas. 

“Wait, are Jeff and Abed even still in here?” Annie asks. “Or did we leave them in the Greendale parking lot?”

“Quiet, assholes.” Jeff whispers from the third row. “Abed’s  _ sleeping_.”

Troy and Britta look over their seats to see Jeff and Abed crammed awkwardly in Shirley’s third row, their limbs tangled together between boxes she’d meant to go donate a few months ago.

“Awh, look at the happy couple.” Britta croons, her chin propped on the edge of the seat.

“Can it, Britta.” Jeff shoots back, guarding Abed’s ears with his hands. “You’re not funny. This was clearly what was going to happen when you guys voted to put the two tallest people in the smallest space.”

Annie’s scoff is clear even across Shirley’s huge car. 

“When can you just admit that you like them, huh?” Britta replies. “Come on, we all  _ know _ .”

“It’s not like that, you’re seriously the worst. Abed always falls asleep in the car, right Troy?” 

“I mean he falls asleep, not necessarily  _ on _ anyone, Jeff.” Troy says. 

“Is that you saying Jeffrey’s got a chance?” Shirley asks from the driver’s seat.

“Of course he does, Abed—“ Troy starts, then cuts himself off. “but Jeff’s gotta do it, not me.”

“You guys are so annoying.” Jeff mumbles. “I can’t ask him out, especially not after he helped me get diagnosed. It’s gonna look like I’m trying to take over his life or  be him in some creepy stalker way.”

“Jeff, you know Abed only feels closer to you cause of all that, right?” Troy asks. “Not to mention he was the one that brought it up to you in the first place, I’m pretty sure he knows you weren’t trying to steal his life.”

“Sure, but what if they think that’s the only reason I’m even asking?” Jeff says. “Like that this whole thing, going to therapists with me and filling out questionnaires and us hanging out more cause of that was just to date them? That isn’t fair either.”

“Jeff, you know that isn’t the case, right?”

“I don’t know.” Jeff sighs, moving minutely to adjust Abed’s body against him. “Abed’s just got that way he makes people feel, and I think I’m getting too wrapped up in it.”

“And how does Abed make people feel?” Britta asks in that voice that makes Jeff think she’s going to get out some paper and start taking notes.

“Y’know, that magic kind of feeling, like you’re floating a little, and like there are butterflies in your stomach but they sort of stay there and don’t get all caught in your throat so the feeling actually isn’t too bad, and like when he looks at you you’re the only person he’s ever seen in his life.”

“That’s uh— that’s really sweet Jeff, but you do realize not everyone feels that way about Abed, right?”

Jeff narrows his eyes. “Well I really can’t see that.” 

“Well what exactly do you guys do when you’re hanging out Jeff, just the two of you?”

“Last weekend was really nice, we made chocolate covered strawberries cause that’s somehow one of the few things we both like, and watched a movie. I was still kind of nervous though, so they made sure not to look at me too much while we were eating. Then when I brought up the fact that I definitely ate too many they pointed out that they’d already had like twice as many and that there was nothing for me to worry about. Which made me feel a lot better about it. ” 

“Honestly that all seems pretty nice but jeez, you really overshare when you’re high, huh?” Britta laughs.

“ _High_?” Shirley asks from the front seat in an accusing tone.

“They all smoked in Britta’s car before we left!” Annie tattles immediately.

“Are you seriously all high? Is  _that_ why Abed’s sleeping?”

The commotion briefly wakes Abed, who’s still leaning against Jeff.

“I’m pretty high but I also just fall asleep in cars.” Abed answers groggily, then looks up at Jeff. “I’m too tired to lie right now, sorry.”

“Hey, it was Britta’s weed in Britta’s car, so if it’s anyone’s fault it’s  hers.” Jeff says. 

“How about only the people who  don’t have an eighth that I picked up for them on their person right now make that argument. Anyone, anyone?” Britta asks, pointing her finger.

“I’ve got one.” Abed mumbles, with Troy and Jeff staying suspiciously silent.

Abed’s about to pry themselves away from Jeff when he carefully rests a hand on their shoulder.

“We’ve still got some time if you wanna keep sleeping, you know.”

“Cool cool cool.” Abed answers, shutting his eyes. He falls back asleep immediately, staying like that against Jeff for the rest of the ride.

...

“Alright, everyone ready?” Shirley asks as she parks her car in front of the aquarium.

“Five more minutes?” Abed mumbles to Jeff.

“Everyone’s leaving, we’re gonna be stuck back here.” Jeff says.

“Give him five more minutes, you monster.” Troy says, prompting Abed to put his head back down.

“Okay,  _ fine._” Jeff sighs, watching as the rest of the group hops out of the car and runs off without them.

He looks down at Abed sleeping against him, breathing softly and looking impossibly peaceful in that way no one ever quite looks when they’re awake, dark eyelashes fluttering against his cheeks and the clean smell of his shampoo flooding Jeff’s senses. 

“You look really pretty right now, you know.” Jeff whispers under his breath, but Abed doesn’t seem to stir.

A few minutes later Abed shifts against Jeff, blinking their eyes open and getting up, grabbing his bag and putting the seat down for them to climb out.

“You really do seem tired.” Jeff says, inspecting the dark circles under Abed’s eyes. “Is everything alright?” 

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just couldn’t sleep, so I ended up watching tv all night. But I feel better now.” He adds, offering Jeff a small smile.

“Hey, you know if you’re awake in the middle of the night I usually am too, you can always text me if you wanna talk.”

“Thanks.” Abed looks like they’re about to say something else, then decides against it. 

“The rest of the group is probably pretty far ahead by now.” Jeff says as they walk up to the front counter of the aquarium and pay for their tickets. “But we can catch up with them eventually.”

“Sounds good.” Abed says, then pulls a tangle out of their bag and presses it into Jeff’s palm, only mentioning it when Jeff turns to them in confusion. “You’re biting your nails right now.”

Jeff grabs the toy from Abed’s hand and looks down at his fingers. “I didn’t even notice, sorry.”

“Don’t be, it doesn’t bother me.” Abed says easily. “I know you’re trying to stop though.”

“Just wish it wasn’t quite so  _ impossible.”_ Jeff groans.

Abed takes one of Jeff’s hands in his own and inspects it. “They look pretty good to me.” 

When Abed drops his hand it takes everything in Jeff not to grab back on and lace their fingers together. 

...

“Those are parrotfish.” Abed says, stopping at one of the first tanks they see and pointing out a group of teal fish with bright neon markings to Jeff. “I always liked them.”

“Huh, they’re pretty.” Jeff observes, which is about all the knowledge of fish he has. 

“They change color as they age, and most of them are born female and then some of the bigger ones become males later on. They’re super important to coral reefs, too.”

“Nice.” Jeff says, leaning in closer to the glass. “They  _ are _ really cool looking. Do you think I can use you as a source for the bio assignment?” He smiles.

“Sorry.” Abed says, turning away from the tank. “I know way too much about this kind of stuff, you’re gonna have to tell me when to stop talking.”

“Well I’m not gonna do that. It’s cu—“  _ No it’s not cute, definitely not cute._ “cool,” Jeff corrects. “I think it’s really cool. That you know a lot about this stuff.”

“Uh, alright.” Abed replies, still sounding a little confused. “And I can help you do the assignment if you want me to. You know I don’t mind.”

“What about Britta, you’re not just gonna be doing hers for her?”

“Well it’s just you and me right now, isn’t it?” Abed says. “Exclusive offer.”

“Maybe we can just work on them together, and I can act like I’m doing my own but I ask you for all the answers.”

“At least you’re honest about it.” Abed laughs.

They get to a tunnel that surrounds them in water, with plants all around and fish swimming in every direction. Abed stops short at the sight of a dolphin, with Jeff running into him and cursing his own awkwardness. 

Abed doesn’t seem to notice it, just taps Jeff on the shoulder and turns his attention to one side so he’ll look as it swims past. “Dolphins are really my favorite. They’re crazy smart but it’s also just smart enough for them to be super weird and kind of evil.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever heard dolphins described like that, but I’ll take your word for it.”

Abed nods and tells him about some experiments people did with dolphins that he definitely didn’t want to cite in his paper and a few weirdly dark fun facts. 

“Sharks were my favorite as a kid.” Jeff says when they get to the next room, pointing to the floor of the tank. “Nurse sharks.”

“So you  _ do _ know about this stuff, don’t you?“ Abed says back, nudging his arm with their elbow.

“Only a little.” Jeff laughs.

“Hey Jeff?” Abed asks, leaning on the handrail. “It’s weird that we haven’t seen the others this entire time, right?” 

“Yeah, you’re right.” Jeff replies. “I assumed we would’ve caught up to them by now. Unless—“

“Unless what?” Abed asks, wide eyes still focused more on the glass in front of them than Jeff. 

“ _Unless _ they’re avoiding us so we’re alone together.” Jeff finally says back, watching a school of yellow fish go by.

“So we can have a sitcom tropey conversation about our feelings and then kiss in a nice setting?” Abed asks, just barely turning to Jeff. 

“Probably something like that.” Jeff answers. 

“Well do you feel like talking about your feelings right now?”

“Uh,  _ no_.” Jeff scoffs. 

“Me neither, and we’re already alone together in a nice setting.”

Before he can say anything else, Abed puts a hand on Jeff’s shoulder, getting on their toes and carefully placing a kiss to his lips. It’s just a peck, over and done with before Jeff can even absorb that it’s happening.

“Hm?” Abed hums nervously, fingers tapping against Jeff’s shoulder and waiting to gauge his reaction. 

Instead of answering Jeff leans down to meet Abed’s lips, slower this time, so he can run a hand through Abed’s impossibly soft hair and taste their chapstick, and he finds himself smiling so hard he has to pull away from the kiss. He looks down at Abed, still breathless and giddy, and presses another kiss to their forehead.

“So you  _ do _ think I’m pretty.” Abed says quietly. 

“ _Hey,_ you weren’t supposed to hear that.” Jeff laughs. “And now you need to tell me exactly how much you heard.”

“Only that, I swear.” Abed replies. “And I wouldn’t have said anything to you if I hadn’t. I was pretty sure I was misreading things between us.”

“I thought I was too.” Jeff admits. 

“Maybe we just need to communicate better.” Abed says thoughtfully. “And talk about our feelings sometimes.”

“And how are we supposed to do that? No offense, but that’s not either of our strong suits.”

“Like this.” Abed grabs Jeff’s hand in theirs and starts walking again, focusing his eyes everywhere but on Jeff. “I’ve liked you since the first day we met, and I fell for you really, really, bad these past couple months, like I couldn’t even think about getting with other people or anything like that, ‘cause all I wanted was you. But it was also when you were getting diagnosed, and I didn’t want you to think I only liked you because of that, because that definitely isn’t it. Except that I do sort of like you cause of that. It’s just nice, I guess.”

“ _ Oh, _ okay.” Jeff breathes, squeezing Abed’s hand in what he hopes is a reassuring gesture. “Well that was a lot, but thanks for telling me.”

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything earlier.”

“Don’t be.” Jeff replies. “I’ve... I’ve liked you for a long time too. And I could never tell if I wanted to be with you, or if I just felt weirdly similar to you, but I’m starting to think maybe it’s both.”

“It might be both.” Abed confirms. “Is that alright?”

“Yeah, I think it is.” Jeff smiles.

....

“So, did you guys have fun?” Britta asks when they’re back in the car, looking over the seat and eagerly trying to decipher their faces for any clue as to what happened.

Jeff’s leaning across the seat with his head in Abed’s lap, looking up at him as he traces circles along Jeff’s scalp. The motion is perfect when Abed does it, sending waves of comfortable pleasure down his spine. He lets his eyes flutter closed and hopes Abed’s willing to take the lead in this conversation so he can keep losing himself in their touch.

“Yeah, we did.” Abed answers. “We saw some dolphins. And sharks. And I kissed Jeff.”

Britta’s eyes widen and the rest of the group turns towards the backseat.

“ _ Nice _ .” Troy jumps in, reaching to do their handshake with Abed. 

“You really kissed?” Britta asks. 

“Yes we did, Britta.” Jeff replies. “Are you gonna give us a medal?”

Annie’s voice cuts through from the passenger seat. “So what exactly  are you two now?”

Abed looks down at Jeff with raised eyebrows, and Jeff just shrugs in return.

“We’ll figure it out eventually.” Abed answers. “I think we’re getting better at communicating.”


End file.
